Exclusive Interview:: Kameron Corvet “Korporate Rockstar”
I am not out here proclaiming to be an guitarist and not able to hold my own.If you see me play…I am gonna do my thing.
ameron Corvet has this je ne sais qui (I don't know what) about him that can only be described as seductive. I wish I knew the french equivalent for the phrase "total package" but hey,you get my drift.He's the perfect blend of southern hospitatlity and midwestern free-spiritism. Throw in some good looks, a degree from Morehouse, and some guitar playin' skills and he's the end result. More special than the aforementioned is his voice. For all you proclaimed 80's babies, do you remember the singer Terence "Trent" D'Arby who sang the song "Sign Your Name"?. If you do, then that's who Kameron resembles most, vocally (in my humble opinion). Now ,when I heard him... I tried to make a conscience effort to not draw any comparisons between him and other singers. But hell, how could you not? It's already a slew of people who throw him into the "sounds-like" category with all of the favorited neo-soul artists. Sonically speaking, he is not a far cry from any of the greats (or being considered one), but its Kameron Corvet's incredible musicianship that has proven to be his way of making his mark amongst the many.
This Baton Rouge born, Cincinatti Ohio bred, Atlanta transplant has roamed the globe captivating audiences with his mix of downhome soul and rock influenced music. Going through a bit of artistic growth since his debut album "Sayingthings" in 2003, the artist formerly known as "JONEZ" has reclaimed his real name and dropped his most recent release, Korporate Rockstar earlier this year. To add to his ever-growing lists of accomplishments, Kameron's song "Kiss and Makeup" was featured on the soundtrack for the BET film Blackout starring Zoe Saldana & Jeffery Wright. Arize had the opportunity to catch up with Kameron to see why he's no longer just saying things, but how he's killing us softly with his song.
Arize: Heeey Kameron, how you doin'? You ready to do this?
KAMERON CORVET:: Hey! Yeah, I am ready.
Arize: Okay so ummm, explain the significance behind the name change.
KAMERON CORVET:: It's something that kinda got attached to me in highschool right around the time the movie Love Jones came out.Everyone used to try to tell me I was acting like Darius Love Hall or whatever so it started out like a nickname..."Love Jones" what have you. And also it was a line in Meth and Mary J's song "I got a love joooones for your body and your skin tone".LOL. But I came down to Atlanta and looking back now, in hindsight, I was trying to reclaim the element of my blackness if you will....because I grew up in the Midwest and in a private school culture that used to make me feel as though I wasn't able to connect with what I would inheritantly consider to be influenced by at the time. But a big part of it has to do with who I was influenced by at the time. I had a heavy soul element to me. As I've grown older and seeing things in the music industry and discovering myself in more ways, in a production sense and music sense...
"I felt like it was okay to go back to basics and go by my real name
"Spelman Girl"
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Arize: So is Korporate Rockstar like a continuation of Sayingthings? Or ...what are the biggest differences between the two albums in your opinion?
KAMERON CORVET::I would say that Sayingthings is very organic in a sense that,the album I created would I would probably say 80% on my own and it was, a "means to an end" record and I felt like, in ATL, I put pressure on myself to put out a record. I wanted it to be a culmination of both digital and live music because I knew that the crowd that I had already established was used to a certain type of sound from me but I wanted to account for the growth that I had already had. More from a straight-edged-soul-linear-borderline-progressive-R&B to more of a rock influenced type of soul at the end. With all the live instrumentation through the end. I was trying to envelope the type of music that influenced me which was the heavy pop, pop rock of the 80's. The sound of Korporate Rockstar is primarilyall live instrumentation, the quality is very crispy, very clear.I took my time with it.A lot of the sonic elements of this album are very pristine.What I was going through on Sayingthings was like the "good guy always finishes last" type of thing and on Korporate Rockstar I was talking about things that I've seen and things that have affected me through a period of time, those were times where, and I am not shy about this, but I had to work...you know I thank God for a college degree. But the times I was in a corporate world really gave me the opportunity to write about things from the perspective that wasn't the perspective of some glamorous star, it was of the people I try to sing to, that I hope would buy my records. I wanna be able to write from THAT perspective. I was able to create the most genuine form of expression with regard to music.
If you consider yourself an artist that stands for something you will be doing yourself a disservice by not contributing to the creative element that, in turn, will be what you are saying to people.
Arize: One producer and one singer you would like to record with. Just ONE of each.
KAMERON CORVET:: Just one? Awww man, this is hard.
Arize: Mmmmm Hmmmm. LOL
KAMERON CORVET:: Alright, well...producer? Kanye. I feel like working with another producer is only valuable if they can take you somewhere where you need to go.Where you want to go.He could definitely do that.And singer? Hmmm.I'd have to say Nikka Costa.She's so dope to me.She got this blow-your-head-back flavor and I've always felt a collaboration with her would be out of this world.Her voice is is so strong and she's not afraid to push the envelope.I would love to work with her.
Arize: Okay, so think of ALL the songs between your first and your second album.Now, what do you think is a song that pretty much embodies your the most or displays ALL of your many talents?
KAMERON CORVET:: Wow, I would have to say "Let's Go Again", from the first record that I produced and wrote.It was about making love under the right circumstances and that's kinda my style, my flavor. And I would also say that on the second record,well, it's a tough one. It would be a toss up between "Maybe, Hopefully" and "Kiss and Makeup" even though most people have heard it.It's a classic record and I would pick that song because it came to me so easily.
"Kiss and Makeup"
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Arize: What is your creative process like? Who is/are your muses?
KAMERON CORVET:: I am usually doing something else when I come up with a song.Most of the time I am driving.So, I don't know why that is...but it just seems to happen that way.Let's just say I'll be driving and I'll see the back of someone's bumper sticker or a word, or I'll think of something like a memory from my past
....the creative process for me usually starts with a freestyle over something.
Arize: You've done an Elvis cover. You've done a Maxwell cover. Were you trying to show your versatility or you like really, REALLY listen to those artists? Elvis???????
KAMERON CORVET::Actually, I've always considered Elvis to be one of my biggest influences. Like, I used to sit back and watch footage of him on stage, Elvis music...Elvis musicals. I've always wanted to have that type of impact musically by doing something people haven't heard before, or form a stage presence without being cocky.I likened myself to him because I feel like when I was growing up I was a real real shy guy until I got comfortable.So he was an influence on my music most definitely. When I heard D'Angelo in 94' 95' and Urban Hang Suite, was done for.I was like...this is me.I mean I had that on heavy rotation...helped me get my weight up.
Arize: Is falsetto your trademark?
KAMERON CORVET:: I don't knooooow.Haha.Just when it gets to be my trademark, I'm probably gonna flip it up and just be in my chest voice only.If it wasn't my trademark I would consider it to be.To have a solid falsetto, to be able to sing a Maxwell cover is I think a very impressive thing for me to hear....and do it well? Not alot of people can do it....but i have, and have been able to incorporate other elements into my singin'.
Arize: Is there anything you wanna tell us...like if you have a hidden talent you'd like to reveal?
KAMERON CORVET:: Ummm...I'm a good whistler.
Arize: ((Laughs))
KAMERON CORVET:: I mean, there's so many things...and I am not trying to toot my own horn but I do alot of things pretty well.If you name I'd probably done it and done it well, but decided to quit.Like in the 4th grade I was really really good at drawing. I wanted to be a ventriloquist back in the day.But other than that I am like a super good whistler, I owe that to my dad.
Arize: What do you want these folks to know about you? How can we get your music?
KAMERON CORVET:: I would just tell people that more than anything to reach our to me.I think that sometimes people don't reach out because they feel like they wouldn't be responded to but I pride myself on being as genuine as possible.You know when it comes to social networking, like Myspace or Facebook or whatever, I am the person who responds, I am really on there.I just want to encourage people, if you appreciate what I do, to hit me up. Don't be afraid to hit me up.
Arize: What about the applications for the video girl tryouts I had suggested to your earlier? For your next video?
KAMERON CORVET:: The applications thing...we gon' work on that.LOL.But if you're really interested I just need some measurements...some errrrrr...ummmm...just playing.I don't know about that one.
Arize: Haha. Well, alright.Thanks anyway Kameron. We appreciate you.
KAMERON CORVET:: Thank you. I appreciate your time as well.
"War Within"
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